Waterhouse Securities Inc. / &Shoppers Sweepstakes Winner&

I recieved a notification from the Waterhouse Securities Inc. stating that I was a declared winner of the "shoppers sweepstakes", when I saw it I thought that it was real, but my kids told me to call the number. When I did I got a bogus recording saying that there is no more room for messages, what is that! I then looked it up on the internet and i found that it is just a big scam. It is ridiculous how people do this and not get away with it, it just gets people's hopes up and then pisses them off. I don't understand how these people can keep doing this and never get caught, these idiots need to find something better to do with their time instead of messing around with people. Especially, since a lot of people do not have a lot of moneyright now and need it.
I added a couple of pictures of what i recieved in the mail one is the letter and the other is the check that look real. Do not be mislead.

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Waterhouse Securities, Inc., International Claim Department Had a check for me, $4, 980.00 to cover an alleged $2995.00 tax bill on a well deserved $250, 000 sweepstakes winning.

I received this mail dated Feb, 16, 2009, but did not see it till 3/5/2009 (got lost in the mail pile). I thought this looked legitimate, the check looks real, but their is no 'Free Lunch'! I contacted a Well Fargo Bank branch and had them verify the account information and address, both were bogus. This report is pretty much the same as another I had viewed. I thought it was strange that the company had a Canadian address, but had a American bank name and address.

So, receiver beware, this is not the first grand prize winning offer I have received.

Did you cash the check like they told you to and if so what happened?I haven't done anythin yet.Do you get any money out of this thing?Do you have to send the 2995 money gram and keep the rest?What do I get out of this?

I also got one today, it is very likely a fraudulent check and then people send the 'tax' but in the end the check funds wont be released to you and you are out the amount of the taxes. clever. I am calling the FBI in Ohio since that is the bank it is drawn on and am also going to look into reporting it in canada.

I want to know what the outcome of this is too. I rec'd a check a couple of days ago and just called the number. I got the same story. Deposit the check, pay the 2995.00 international tax out of it and then I am supposed to call them as soon as I deposit the check. Supposedly after I pay the international tax, they will release the funds and then I will recieve a check through FEDEX for the rest 250, 000 and I still have to pay US tax of 35, 000. It just seems kind of fishy. I would think they would contact us in person if really this much money is involved. Let us know if anybody finds anything else out.

I received the exact same check today and I called the better business bureau. They said it was a scam and they told me to go to www.postalinspectors.uspis.gov and report them. I was also directed to go to fakechecks.org and phonebusters.com It is definitely a scam. DO NOT deposit the check. I was told to shred the check and report them. If you deposit the check and send them the money then the check will bounce and you will be responsible for the $2995.00.

I received the Waterhouse Securities, Inc., Shoppers Sweepstakes winning notification from the address of 100 Front St, Morriston ONT H4N-3L4. The letter was enclosed with a check written for $4, 980 and total award winnings of $250, 000 after depositing the check and sending $2995 for taxes. I called the phone number given and the person that answered namely Lewis McGregor was not professional nor did he sound at all part of a securities company. He asked that I deposit the check but when I told him my bank will hold the check until funds are cleared, he requested that I call him back if this happens. After, internet research noting that the bank the check was drawn on didn't have matching addresses I knew it was a scam. Thanks for the additional comments. 3.16.09 Juanita

I got mine in the mail last night. How STUPID do these jerks think we are?? When I called the company, the person answered with "Hello." Some securities company! It took a minute for the guy to get his act together enough to try to pull off the scam.

Thanks to everyone who reported the problem. It made it easy to find out what I already knew - this is a cruel scam!
I'm so disgusted! I plan to report them to everyone I can think of. I'd love to find out that these jerks get caught!
Beverly

I too received the letter and check. As I occasionally enter sweepstakes, I was hopeful and suspicious at the same time. I would really like to cash the check and hold the funds until the check doesn't clear however, it appears, from what I have read here, that the bank won't cash the check anyway. The guy with a odd foreign accent that instructed me to deposite the check and phone him for the address to wire the tax money was also oddly unprofessional. I could pull off a similar scam far more believable if I were so inclined. I wonder if they actually succeed at this. Even one person a day falling for it is a nice salary for the immoral ###.

I got a check also today for $4, 980.00 and a foreign accent on the other line telling me to go to my bank right now and deposit the check, and as soon as I did to give him a call at the same number... well, I told him my bank was closed so he said to do it first thing in the morning!!! Like I'm going to fall for that scam... I am reporting them to www.postalinspectors.uspis.gov I did ask him how I won the sweepstakes? He told me it was a random drawing from Walmart or Home Depot. He asked if I shopped at either place in the last 2 years? Who hasn't?????? Well, I then called Walmart, and asked them if they had a SHOPPERS SWEEPSTAKES that was drawn on January 5, 2009. The lady in Customer Service said they never have sweepstakes, and that she knew it was a scam because they had been contacted by people already.

Any way to reverse scam these ###?? Can the check be deposited into a "new" account!
Once the check clears, close the account.
I am guessing the funds are never cleared, they just run it from bank to bank and finally it bounces - giving them time to receive the tax money!

We got this very same check from Waterhouse Securities today 3/21/09. Now if anyone reads a newspaper or listens to the radio the tip off is the 905 number which is bogus. I found this site because I was looking for somewhere where I could report these idiots!!! Thanks Linda. I would hope that Waterhouse Securities would do something since these jerks are using them illegally Jeannette

I received the Waterhouse Securities, Inc., Shoppers Sweepstakes winning notification from the address of 100 Front St, Morriston ONT H4N-3L4 in the mail. A letter was enclosed with a check written for $4, 980 and total award winnings of $250, 000 after depositing the check and sending $2995 for taxes. I knew it was a scam as soon as I opened the letter. I didnt do anything but go on line and type in the google search Waterhouse Securities Scam. many posts came up to confirm the Scam.

I to received a check for $4980.00 for said sweepstakes. I contacted Wells Fargo directly to verify the check, It was listed as a valid account BUT the rep did tell me they receive checks like this daily in the thousands!!! If it seems to good to be true IT is!! How dare these losers prey on people like us that could really use money like this right now...

Right away I knew this was a scam, first of all I didn't enter any contest and secondly this was from another country drawn on a US bank. I have contacted the FBI and will be contacting the Postal service. I hope they get their just desserts it is not right to mess with people especially during difficult times like these. It is bad karma. I just feel bad for some people who may have fallen for this and sent the money in.

I also recieved a check for the amount of $4, 980.00 and, after calling the phone no. was directed to deposit the check and send them the amount of $2995.00 to cover the taxes on my winnings. I think that I woke the guy up, on the other end of the phone. I think I'll give him a call at 2:00 A.M. and she if he is more awake !!! Ha! Ha! The check was from the Bank of America, Seattle Wa. 98124. Did NOT cash the check...What a Scam!!!

my mom recieved the same letter telling her that she won the sweepstakes.. 4980 was the amonut of the check too.. geesh these people need a life and need to stop this fraud.. getting her hopes up and then dashing them is awful... do not cash the check.. all they want is your money and id theft is easier to get thru what they are doing...

Be Ware!
Now they are sending them out from Powerhouse Securities Inc., same address as Waterhouse and all the same info. The check for $4980.00 and the same gut-Lewis McGregor. Thanks for all the above comments, they need to do something to these guys!!! this is ridiculous!